Indicator and seal-lock combined.



UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

NVILLIAM SCHARN WEBER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO BEVERLY A. DYER, OF SAME PLACE.

INDICATOR AND SEAL-LOCK COMBINED.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 671,636, dated April 9, 1901.

Application filed June 18, 1900. Serial No. 20,708, (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SCHARN- WEBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri,

have invented a certain new and useful Im` provement in Oar-Seals, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, fr-ming part of this specilication, in which- Figure l is an elevational view of my improvedindicatorand seal-lock combined. Fig. 2 is asectional view, the near wall of the case being removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 44, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing the inner face of the rotary locking-disk. Fig. 6 is a top plan View of a portion of my device, showing the rotary locking-disk in its locking position; and Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the locking-disk in its unlocked position.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in an indicator 4and seal-lock combined, the same being particularly designed for use in railway-car doors and is of that type wherein a plurality of symbol-bearing disks are manipulated at each operation of the lock, whereby the combination of eX- posed symbols on the disks is dierent after each operation.

Another object is to provide an additional seal to indicate the road upon which or the person who last operated the lock, said seal forming an eectual lock in itself, it being necessary to mutilate or destroy said seal before the hasp can be operated to open the door.

Vith these objects in view the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts, all as will hereinafter be described and afterward pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A indicates the side wall of a car to which my improved seal is attached adjacent the doorway.

B indicates the door, and C the hasp on the door, which cooperates with the staple-lug, hereinafter described, said hasp being held in position by a bolt D, said bolt being preferably arranged upon a chain and provided with the usual seal-wire slot in its lower end, which may be used, if desired.

E indicates the casing which incloses the apparatus constituting myim proved car-seal, said casing being secured by suitable bolts to the side wall of the car, whose squared Shanks tit in corresponding openings in the casing, nuts being arranged on the inside, as usual, to prevent the casing from being removed when the door 'is closed. This casing has projecting from it a staple-lug c, which is provided with the usual bolt-opening,said staplelug cooperating with the hasp and bolt. A sight-opening e is arranged in the lower portion of the casing, said sight-opening being protected by a piece of glass or other transparent medium,which is preferably tlush with the back face of the casing. Suitable anges e2 project from the back face of the casing to form a circular chamber F.

G indicates the crank-arm, xed to a shaft Y whose inner end projects into the circular chamber, said crank-arm being formed with an eye in its outer end, through which the locking-bolt is designed to pass. The hub of this crank arm and the crank arm pass through a suitably-shaped slot c in the hasp O, said slot being so arranged that the crankarm occupies a position when the hasp is introduced thereover different from that occupied by said crankarm when the seal is locked. As shown in the drawings, the slot is in such relation to the crank-arm that the crank-arm occupies a vertical position in order to be in registration with the slot in the hasp, and when the hasp is introduced thereover the crank-arm is designed to be moved upwardly and around, so that the eye in its end registers with the bolt-opening in the staple lug. The hasp at its lower edge is preferably recessed at c' to cooperate with the staple-lug and provided with an outwardlyextending lip c2 for receiving the crankarm and arresting its outward movement in such position that the eye in the end of the crankarm is in Vertical alin'ernent with the opening in the staple-lug. The inner end of the shaft or spindle of the crank-arm before referred to is preferably squared orf made non,- circular to receive a disk-plate l-I, .said diskplate being held in position on said shaft by a IOO suitable screw-bolt. A hub is provided on the inner face of this disk-plate in order to properly1 space ,the same, while afiange 71, extends from the periphery of the disk-plate, as shown in Fig. 2. This flange tapers at its ends, 'as shown, a pocket h being arranged in the inner'wall of the fiange, said pocket being designed to occupy a position opposite the sightopening e in the casing when the crank-arm occupies a position over the staple-lug.

I indicates disks which are preferably circular in shape, said disks bearing different symbols on their faces, said symbols being shown in the drawings as letters from the alphabet. These disks are arranged looselyin chamber F, being held in said chamber by the rotatable disk-plate H. In operation the disk-plate H, which is fixed to the crank-shaft, practically supports the small disks I on its ange h, and when the crank-arm is turned to the right or in such position as to register with the slot in the hasp the pocket h is out of registration with the sight-opening. When the crank-arm is rotated to a position to cooperate with the staple-lug, the small disks I roll upon each other and uponthe flange h, this disturbance causing the positions of said disks I to be changed, so that when the pocket h' registers with the sightopening it contains a plurality of disks, in this inst-ance three, which may be seen through the sight-opi-n-V ing, forming what might be termed the combination of the seal. This combination exhibited through the sight-opening continues so long as the diskplates Vremain undisturbed, the Weight of the superimposed disks holding the disks opposite the sight-opening against accidental displacement due to jarring of the car. Whenever the disk is rotated, as shown in the drawings,about three-fourths of a revolution to register the crank-arm with the slot in the hasp in order to remove the hasp from cooperation with'the staple-lug, the fiange It is of course turned so as to pass through the upper portion of the chamber F, in which event the disks formerly occupying the pockets h are discharged on top of the quantity of disks I in the chamber F, said -disks being supported by the flange e2 of the casing. When the crank-arm turnsback into its position over the staple-lug, the disk-plate is carried with it, the tapering edge of the flange heasily entering under the loose disks I, causing said disks to ride up the flange, and when the crank-arm occupies its locked position the pocket h will be opposite the sight-opening, and two or more disks I will have fallen thereinto land will be exhibited through said sightopening. i It will be obvious that the disks exposed through the sight-opening will be different from those formerly exposed, the disks formerly exposed having been carried up by the disk-plate and discharged on top of the series of disks I, while the exposed disks are practically taken from the bottom line of disks I or those Y.occupying positions in the lowest series.

From the above it will be seen that the crankarm occupies one position when the door is l open, and when the hasp is placed in position and the crank-arm passed therethrough the position of the crank-arm and its attached disk-plate is so changed 'as to present new symbol-disks to the sight-opening. The bolt is now passed through the crank-arm and the staple-lug, locking said parts together. The symbols exposed through ihevsight-opening are noted by the person sealing the car, and

when the car arrives at its destination these same symbols should be exhibited through the sight-opening; otherwise the evidence of tampering with the car will be apparent. An ordinary sealwire passed through a slot in the lower end of the bolt is usually sufficient toprevent unauthorized persons from tampering with the hasp; but even were the door opened the symbol-disks would exhibit that fact. I prefer, however, to provide means c0- operating with the crank-arm to prevent said crank-arm being rotated or displaced by accident.

J indicates a rotary element, preferably in the form of a disk, mounted on the casing E, said disk having a sight-openingj, througli which is designed to be exhibited a small plate or piece of glass or friable material K. This rotary element is provided with a projection J', which is designed to occupy a position in the path of a crank-arm and prevent said crank-arm from being turned out of its locked position. This projection also carries a perforated lug j, through the opening in which the locking-bolt is designed to pass, said opening being in Vertical alinement with the openings in the crank-arm and the staplelug. This disk J is provided with a peripheral liangej2 on its inner face, which liange is cut away opposite the sight-openingj. The inner face of disk J is also provided with an enlargement js, forming walls to hold the breakable plate K in place. Pockets 44 and ,7'5 are formed in these walls, the latter of which is preferably inclined for coperating with a spring-pressed projection L, extending through the casing E and. designed to register with said pockets when the disk J is rotated.

A circular ange e3 is formed on the casing E and designed to fit snugly within the peripheral flange of .the disk J. This flange e3 is open at its top in order that the breakable plate K may be introduced into its pocket behind the sight-opening in the disk J. A stop 64 is arranged in juxtaposition to the disk J, said stop coperating with a lugj6 for determining the open position of the disk J, the closed or locked position of said disk being determined by the spring-pressed projection fitting in the pocketj4. j In operation,ass u ming the disk to be turned so that its projection J extends upwardly, the interruptions in the flanges u7'2 and e3 register and permit the breakable plate K to be introduced into its pocket behind theV sightopening, said plate being pushed down, so as to be Within the inner periphery of the flange e3. The hasp having been placed in position and the crank-arm turned to lock said hasp in place, as before described, the disk J is now rotated, so as to bring the projection J into position over the crank-arm, wherein the opening in the lugj is in vertical alinement with the openings in the crank-arm and staplelug for the reception of the locking-bolt. It will be noticed that the breakable plate is now held in position by the iiange e3 and that.

the yielding projection L has passed therebeyond and is seated in the pocket L7'4 behind said disk, thus preventing the backward rotation of the disk J. The breakable plate K thus operates to lock disk J in what I will designate as its closed or locked position. In order to rotate disk J to release the crank-arm, it will be necessary t0 break the breakable plateK, so that the disk J may be rotated reverseljT in the absence of the breakable plate, and in such reverse rotation the yielding projection L rides up the inclined pocketj5 and over the projection ja. When the disk J is thus returned to its open position, another breakable plate may be inserted, the broken particles of the first breakable plate being removed by hand. These breakable plates are preferably in the form of glass and have pasted to their backs pieces of paper indicating the road or the name of the person introducing them. In practice it is designed that different roads have breakable plates with their individual marks or printed matter and that each road Will use its own plate when sealing a car. back of the glass plate the broken particles of glass are not liable to become separated, and their removal is thus rendered comparatively easy. Furthermore, where paper is pasted back of the glass the broken particles are not liable to fly out and injure the persons breaking the glass. It Will be obvious that clay, porcelain, thin cast-iron, or other material may be employed in the manufacture of these breakable plates.

Where my improved seal is to be used on fruit-cars, a second slot c3 maybe formed in the hasp for coperating with the crank-arm, whereby when the hasp is locked in place the door will leave a narrow open space for the purpose of Ventilating the car.

Flaps or covers may be provided for the sight-openings e and j for the purpose of keeping out snow, dto.

I am aware that minor changes in the arrangement, construction, and combination of the several parts of my device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in theleast departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an indicator and seal-lock combined, the combination with a hasp and staple-lug,

By pasting the paper` of a crank-arm for locking said hasp in place, a disk-plate, and loose circular disks coutaining symbols which are exposed to View so that different symbols will be presented at each operation of the crank-arm; substantially as described.

2. In an indicator and seal-lock combined, the combination with a slotted hasp, oi a crank-arm passing through the slot in said hasp, a casing provided with a sigh t-opening, a disk-plate fixed to the crank-arm, and loose circular symbol-disks which are exhibited through the sight-opening; substantially as described.

3. In an indicator and seal-lock combined, the combination with a crank-arm for locking the hasp iu position, of a casing in which said crank-arm is mounted, a disk-plate secured to said crank-arm, said disk-plate being provided with a pocketed ange, a sightopening in the casing designed to register with the pocket in the flange when the diskplate is in one of its positions, and loose circular symbol-disks Which are designed to fall in said pocket to be exposed through said sight-opening; substantially as described..

4L. The combination with a slotted hasp, of a crank-arm passing through the slot in said hasp, a casing into which said crank-arm is mounted, said casing being formed with a circular flange, a sight-opening, a disk-plate tting within said flange and provided with a pocketed ange, and aplurality of circular symbol-disks which occupy said pocket and are exhibited through the sight-opening when the crank-arm is turned to lock the hasp in position; substantially as described.

5. The combination with a hasp, provided With a slot, of a crank-arm passing through the slot in said hasp, a rotary element carrying a breakable plate, and a yielding projection for cooperating with said plate to prevent the movement of said rotary element from its locked position; substantially as described.

6. In an indicator and seal-lock combined, the combination with the hasp provided with a slot, of a crank-arm passing through the slot in said hasp, a rotary element designed to be turned into the path of said hasp to lock the same, a breakable disk carried by said rotary element, and a yielding projection coperating with said breakable disk; substantially as described.

` 7. The combination with a hasp, of a crankarm for locking the same in position, a disk J provided with a projection designed to be turnedin the path of said crank-arm, a break- 'able plate carried by the disk J, and a spring- IOO IIO

lregister with each other, and a pocket in the disk for receiving a breakable plate introduced through the registering openings in said flanges; substantially as described.

9. The combination with a crank-arm for locking a hasp in position, of a disk J for locking said crank-arm against movement, said disk being provided With a sight-opening, and a pocket for receiving a breakable plate behind said sight-opening, one Wall of said pocket having a recess 3'4, and a springpressed projection which is received in said recess j4, and which cooperates with said breakable plate; substantially as described.

IO. In an indicator-and seal-lock combined,

. the combination With a crank-arm designed to lock the hasp in position, of an independent rotatable disk for locking said crank-arm in position, means carried by said rotatable disk for locking the same in position, a casing in which said crank-arm is mounted, said casing being provided With a sight-opening, a plurality of symbol-disks contained in said casing, and means connected to said crankarm for transposing said disks and exhibiting dierent symbols through the sight-openl ing Whenever the crank-arm is operated; substantially as described.

11. In an indicator and seal-lock combined, the combination with a crank-arm designed to lock the hasp in position, a casing in which ,said crank-arm is mounted, said casing being provided with a sight-opening, 'a plurality of symbol-disks contained in said casing, means connected to said crank-arm for transposing said disks and exhibiting dierent symbols through the sight-opening whenever the crank-arm is operated, a rotary element carrying a breakable plate, said rotary element locking the crank-arm against movement, and a yielding projection cooperating with the breakable plate in the rotary element to lock said rotary element in position; substantially as described.

12. The combination with a hasp, of a staple-lug with which said hasp cooperates, a crank-arm for locking said hasp in position, a rotary element for locking said crank-arm in position, a breakable plate carried by said rotary element, means for preventing said rotary element from being rotated when once locked in position until said breakable plate is removed,l said rotary element, crank-arm, and staple-lug being formed with openings which register when the parts are locked, and a locking-bolt designed to pass through said openings; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses, this 23d day of May, 1900.

WILLIAM SCHARNVVEBER.

Witnesses:

JN0. D. TURNER,

C. D. EMERY. 

